Tuesday, February 21, 2017

100G Solution in West Africa

Ekinops 100G Solution Chosen
by a Major Operator in West Africa

PARIS, February 21, 2017 – Ekinops, a leading supplier of next-generation optical network equipment, has partnered with Orange Ivory Coast, the number one telecommunications operator in Ivory Coast, for the rollout of a 100 gigabits per second solution.

Orange Ivory Coast has nearly 12 million customers. To meet the sustained growth in data traffic demand in the West African nation, Orange Ivory Coast decided to extend the transmission capacity of its network along the country’s main strategic routes. To do so, Orange Ivory Coast is deploying the innovative 100G solution from Ekinops.

Over the past few months, Orange Ivory Coast and Ekinops carried out intensive field tests. The results of these tests were particularly positive and enabled teams at Orange Ivory Coast to assess the performance and innovative nature of the Ekinops solution. This solution allows for transmission capacity to be increased from 10G to 100G very easily and without changing the network’s existing infrastructure.

The Ekinops 100G solution also guarantees Orange Ivory Coast perfect interoperability with existing equipment in its network. The efficient and quick to implement solution will meet the capacity needs for Orange Ivory Coast and improve service quality for its customers.

Xavier Billy, Vice-President of Strategic Accounts at Ekinops, said, “We are proud to be able to meet the challenges of increased capacity for Orange Ivory Coast with our innovative 100G application. This strategic collaboration will not only give Orange Ivory Coast increased flexibility by massively increasing the bandwidth of its national network, it will also serve its cross-border requirements withneighboring countries, a major challenge across West Africa.”

About Ekinops
Ekinops is a leading supplier of next generation optical transport equipment for telecommunications service providers. The Ekinops 360 addresses Metro, Regional, and Long-Haul applications with a single, highly-integrated platform. Ekinops is a market-leading innovator in 100G transport with a coherent line of products that truly optimizes optical networks and comes in 1RU, 2RU or 7RU chassis. The Ekinops 360 relies on the highly-programmable Ekinops T-Chip® (Transport-on-a-Chip) architecture that enables fast, flexible and cost-effective delivery of new services for high-speed, high-capacity transport. Using the Ekinops 360 carrier-grade system, operators can simply increase capacity of their networks – CWDM, DWDM, Ethernet, ESCON, Fibre Channel, SONET/SDH, and uncompressed video (HD-SDI, SD-SDI, ASI). Ekinops is headquartered in Lannion, France, and Ekinops Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary, is incorporated in the USA. For more information, visit www.ekinops.net

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

II-VI Incorporated Unveils Pluggable OTDR for Embedded Network Monitoring


PITTSBURGH, Feb. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- II‐VI Incorporated (NASDAQ:IIVI), a leading provider of solutions for next generation optical networks today unveiled its pluggable Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR) for embedded network monitoring applications in carrier and data center networks.

According to ElectroniCast Consultants, the worldwide use of embedded OTDR modules is forecast to achieve significant growth over the next five years.  The pluggable OTDR fills the need for improved operational efficiency from carriers and data center operators.  The full realization of software defined networking requires the characterization and continuous monitoring of the fiber plant.  The II-VI pluggable OTDR is a compact device with standard interfaces and powered by complex digital processing to analyze data in real time.  Equipment manufacturers can now monitor data on fiber plant quality both at system start-up and during operation to ensure that decision making is based on optimum information when and where it is needed.

“The capability to permit an OTDR test simultaneously, with advanced early detection, fault location and optical link loss notification, is critical in today’s optical communications networks, especially when considering the need for software-based wavelength rerouting,” said Stephen Montgomery, director of the fiber optic component group and president of ElectroniCast Consultants. “Pressures to improve service-level agreements are driving the use of embedded OTDR modules,” Montgomery added.

“Our highly successful embedded OTDR platform has been deployed in volume by multiple OEMs and carriers for over two years,” said Dr. Sanjai Parthasarathi, Vice President for Product Marketing and Strategy, Optical Communications Group.  “We are breaking new ground with the introduction of a highly compact pluggable OTDR module, with instrument level capabilities that can be integrated in transport networks.”

The size of the new product is 50% smaller than II-VI’s existing solution and can be configured with an optical switch to monitor two fibers alternatively.  The pluggable OTDR features an XFP control interface and can be plugged into a standard XFP receptacle.  The product is currently being sampled and will be generally available in Q3 2017.

II-VI at OFC2017, Mar. 21-23, 2017, Booth #2101

II-VI will showcase new products at OFC 2017 that are driven by advances in our materials and technology platforms. The product showcase will include novel embedded monitoring solutions for transport networks, highly compact optical amplifier solutions tailored to enable high bit-rate DWDM transceivers, as well as key devices and sub-assemblies for datacenter transceivers.

About II-VI Incorporated

II-VI Incorporated, a global leader in engineered materials and opto-electronic components is a vertically integrated manufacturing company that develops innovative products for diversified applications in the industrial, optical communications, military, life sciences, semiconductor equipment, and consumer markets. Headquartered in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, with research and development, manufacturing, sales, service, and distribution facilities worldwide, the Company produces a wide variety of application-specific photonic and electronic materials and components, and deploys them in various forms including integrated with advanced software to enable our customers.

Monday, February 13, 2017

Fiber Optic Cleaver and Stripper Market Forecast

NEW REPORT - ElectroniCast


According to ElectroniCast, the global use of fiber optic cleavers and strippers is forecast to reached $38.7 million in 2016…

Aptos, CA (USA) – February 13, 2017  -- ElectroniCast Consultants, a leading market & technology forecast consultancy addressing the fiber optics communications industry, today announced the release of their annual study of the use of selected fiber optic cleavers and strippers for the purpose of optical fiber preparation processing.

According to ElectroniCast, the global use of fiber optic cleavers and strippers is forecast to increase from $38.7 million in 2016 to $42.6 million in 2021, and then the value is forecast to increase at a much faster pace to the year 2026.  Market forecast data in this study report refers to consumption (use) for a particular calendar year; therefore, this data is not cumulative data.

“Field-installable fiber optic connectors, fusion splice use, and other optical fiber preparation processing tasks are driving the need for accurate fiber preparation and cleaving,” said Stephen Montgomery, principal analyst of the fiber optics group at ElectroniCast.

The instrument/machine categories are segment further by the weight of the device.  The average selling price differences between instrument/machines (stripper, cleaver, and combination), and tools (shears, strippers, scissors and "pen" scribes) is substantial.   The market analysis and forecast of the consumption of selected fiber optic cleavers and strippers segmented by several different device-types, with a weight of less than 8kg (17.6 pounds) as well as selected hand tools.

According to the study, the Asia Pacific region (APAC) employed nearly 160-thousand new fiber optic cleaver and stripper units in 2016.  The Asia Pacific region is forecast to maintain the leadership role in relative market share in both volume/quantity and value.  China, Korea and Japan are leading consumers for the selected fiber optic cleaver and stripper units in the region; however, India is acknowledged as a rapid adopter of optical fiber communication technologies.

“Due to the deployment fiber optic cable assemblies in Data Centers (DC), as well as continued deployment of Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH), as well as other optical fiber deployment, the need for easy-to-use, rugged/durable and accurate fiber optic preparation and termination devices are increasing in demand,” Montgomery added.


This report is available immediately from ElectroniCast Consultants.  For detailed information on this or other services provided by ElectroniCast, please contact Theresa Hosking, Director of Marketing/Sales; thosking@electronicastconsultants.com  (Telephone/USA: 831-708-2381)


ElectroniCast Consultants – www.electronicastconsultants.com specializes in forecasting trends in communication networks and in the products used in those networks.  This includes technology forecasting, markets and applications forecasting, strategic planning and consulting. ElectroniCast Consultants, as a technology-based independent forecasting firm, serves industrial companies, trade associations, government agencies, communication and data network companies and the financial community.  Reduction of the risk of major investment decisions is the main benefit provided.  ElectroniCast Consultants’ goal is to understand the challenges and opportunities facing clients and to provide timely, accurate information for strategic planning.


Thursday, February 9, 2017

Ultra-High-Fiber-Count Ribbon Cables


Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. has a new series of ultra-high-fiber-count ribbon cables to meet the growing need for high fiber density in data centers. The new cables are available in fiber counts of 1152, 1728, and 3456.

Pliable Ribbon Technology The cables feature a slotted configuration for easy handling and quick fiber identification. Among the series, the highest-fiber-count cable accommodates 3456 fibers in an outer diameter of 34 mm while withstanding direction-free bending, and thus allows for easy installation in a 2-inch duct space. The Company's pliable ribbon technology enables the 12-fiber ribbon to easily conform to small diameters and to be spliced with a conventional 12-fiber mass fusion splicer. The cables are available in two types: with a steel strength member or an all-dielectric strength member in the center of the cable.

Also featured is a dry water-blocking tape that requires no cable flooding gels, thereby eliminating the cleaning and blocking preparation associated with standard gel-filled cables. The use of a completely dry cable speeds up overall installation, termination, and splicing while significantly saving customers' time and costs.

These cables are a part of an ultra-high-density solution including fiber optic cabinets, closures, and pre-terminated hardware. With these products and solutions, Sumitomo Electric will build its competitive advantage in the industry.

For more information about Sumitomo Electric's ultra-high fiber count cables and other related products, please visit the website at www.sumitomoelectric.com


Wednesday, February 1, 2017

New Splicing and Glass Processing Systems

Fujikura Europe adds new suite of laser glass processing systems to product range

Chessington, UK. 24 January 2017: Fujikura Europe today announced the addition of the LAZERMaster™ LZM-110 series – a suite of splicing and glass processing systems that uses a CO2 laser heat source to perform splicing, tapering, and lensing – to its product offering.

The entire suite of the LZM-110 series – which was created by sister company AFL – includes the LZM-100M, LZM-110P, LZM-110M+ and LZM-110P+ and is designed to address more specific production applications while reducing features that are not required. It also includes an extensive library of applications which are transferable between the LZM and FSM family.

“Combining Fujikura’s 30+ year history of splicing knowledge with AFL’s extensive history of laser processing has allowed AFL to create the latest and most powerful solutions for multiple specific applications,” said Neil Bessant at Fujikura Europe. “We are very excited to now be able to offer this fantastic suite of products to our customers in Europe.”

The LZM-110 series works in conjunction with on-board firmware for fully automatic splicing, tapering and other glass shaping processes. Through CO2 heating, contamination induced by the heating source is eliminated and the glass is heated through absorption of CO2 laser photons, providing the cleanest heating source available. This substantially reduces maintenance and calibration requirements, meaning there is no need for process gas or vacuum systems.

Each of the new processing systems provide unique advantages to the splicing and glass processing market. The LZM-110M/M+ is ideal for high reliability factory splicing in the medical or fibre laser market, with the added benefit of an increased fibre handling capacity up to 2.3mm, while the LZM-110P/P+ has fibre rotation and end view (the latter in LZM-110P+ only) and is perfect for applications such as end capping or large ball lensing.

For more information about Fujikura Europe, its products and services, visit http://www.fujikura.co.uk


About Fujikura Europe
Fujikura is one of the world's leading manufacturers of fibre optic cables and equipment for installation, measurement and testing. The Fujikura name has become synonymous with fibre optic fusion splicers and the company has become the world's leading supplier to telecommunication companies around the globe.

Fujikura has been represented in Europe for over 20 years, and in 1988 established Fujikura Europe Ltd as a European base of operations in South West London. Fujikura Europe has grown considerably in the last ten years and now occupies a 14,000 sq. ft. site in Chessington, Surrey which houses the company's European sales administrative offices, technical support centre and service repair workshops.